Device for repairing metallic measuring-tapes.



No. 721.411. EATENTED EEE. 24, 1903# f 0.13. ALEXANDER. DEVICE EOE EEPAIEING METALLIC MEASUEING TAPES.

APPLIOATION FILED APB.. 7, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

wgzsszs K l W l by Y I l UNITED STATES PATENT Omron.

CLINTON BROWN ALEXANDER, OF OLEARFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR REPAYIRINGMETALLI'C MEASURNG-TAPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,411, dated February 24, 1903. Application filed April 7,1902. Serial No. 101,800. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:V

Be it known that I, CLINTON BROWN ALEX- ANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clearfield, in the county of Clearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Device for Repairing Metallicl Measuring-Tapes, of which the following is av specification. i

This invention relates to a device for repairing metallic measuring-tapes, such as those employed by engineers and surveyors.

Asis well known, tapes of the character above referred toare made of extremely thin rolled metal and if kinked or sharply bent will break almost like glass. When a rupture occurs, the practice heretofore has been to associate the ends of the tape lby a sleeve or a plate, Within which or upon which the ends of the tape are secured. While this procedure is thoroughly eective for the purpose designed, it requires the employment of tools and other instrumentalities not generally carried in the field and with the use of which surveyors and engineers are not ordinarily familiar.

The object of the present invention is in a ready, simple, feasible, and thoroughly practical manner to assemble the separated ends of a broken measuring-tape Without the employment of solder or the application of heat.

A further object is to enable the person repairing the' tape to eect accurate adjustv ment within the device of the tape ends,

thereby to obviate liability of overlapping, and thus unnecessarily shortening of the tape. y

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts l of a device for repairing metallic measuringproportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit thereof, and in the drawings- Figure l is a view in plan of one form of embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 isa View in transverse section, taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal vertical section throughrthepform of device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view in plan, showing a slightly-modified form of the invention. Fig. 5 is a view in vertical longitudinal section of the device shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through another modified form of the devlce.

The generic and underlying feature common to each of theforins herein shown is the provision of a clamp adapted to receive the opposing ends of the ruptured sections,means for securing the said ends within the clamp, and means to permit inspection of the opposing ends of the tape-sections, thereby to permit of the fractured tape ends being properly juxtaposed with relation to each other within the clamp.

. Referring to the drawings and to Figs. 1

2,and 3 thereof, l designates the clamp or sleeve to be associated with the ruptured sections of a tape and having a longitudinal channel therethrough of a width to receivethe tape. As will be noted by reference to Fig. 3, a length of the channel at the left-hand end of the sleeve is of .greater receiving capacity thanvthe corresponding-lengthl at the righthand end'thereof, this arrangement being provided in order that should a part ofthe tape previously ruptured and repaired by an ordin ary sleeve 3,0r having any extra thickness, as the end connections with the tape-handles, or marking-sleeves, or solder-spots for numbers, or other characters used in marking measuring-tapes, constitute one of the ruptured tape-terminals, this may readily be insorted within the clamp l and be held there in the same manner as the plain tape at the opposite end of the clamp. At a point near each end of the clamp is a transverse orifice 4, which extends entirely through the clamp,and in the upper plate or member 5 are clamps or set-screws 6, having either oval or conical contact-points,which screws are threaded into the member 5, the lower-.ends `of the said screws being disposed over the orifices in the IOO lower member 7 of the clamp, the latter oriices constituting seats to receive the dei'iected lengths of the tape-sections. The screws 6 are of less width than the channel 2, so that when turned down against the tape both longitudinal and transverse bends will be imparted thereto, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thus operating in a positive manner to prevent accidental separation of the tape from the clamp, the same also being true of the sleeve 3. `In order to permit proper disposition of the tape ends with relation to each other when inserted in the clamp, thereby to avoid overlapping and consequent unnecessary shortening of the tape, a sight-opening 8 is provided intermediate of the ends of the clamp by which the opposed ends of the tape-section may be readily inspected, as will be understood by reference to Figs. l and 4.

In the form of embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the only difference in the structural arrangement over that shown in Figs. l to 3 is that the enlarged chamber at the left-hand side of the clamp is dispensed with and the channel is of the same size throughout its entire length.

In the form of embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6 the clamp 9 is a plate formed on a compound curve when viewed in elevation and provided in its terminals with channels '10, that aline and in which the terminals of the tape-sections are clamped by screws ll in the same manner as that already described, the walls of the upper sides of the channels being bowed or curved upward at l2 to present seats in which the bends of the tape-sections are housed when the clamping-screws are seated. The opposing terminals of the tape-sections will be disposed over the downward bowed portion of the clamp and will thus be easy of inspection for the purposes above set forth.

It is proposed to man nfactnre these clamps in sizes to fit tapes of standard widths, and

being cheap and easily applied to position they will form a desirable if not a necessary part of an engineer or surveyors outfit. Aside from the positiveness of operation and the certainty with which the tape-sections will be assembled the readiness with which repairs can be effected will recommend this device to persons having need of such an implement. l

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A device of the character specified, cornprising a sleeve channeled longitudinally to receive the ends ot' the tape to be united and adapted to expose them toview, said sleeve provided Anear each4 end with a transverse threaded orifice of less width than the channel and juxtaposed by a seat, and screws engaging the threaded orifices.

2. A device of the character specified, com prising a sleeve provided with a longitudinal channel and having near each end a transverse threaded orifice juxtaposed by a seat, and intermediate ot' its ends a sight-opening, and screwsengaging the threaded orifices and being of less width than the channel.

3. A device of the character specied, comprising a sleeve having a longitudinal channel therethrough, one terminal of the channel being enlarged for the purpose specified, the sleeve being provided intermediate of its ends with a sight-opening and near each terminal with a transverse threaded orifice juxtaposed by a seat, and screws engaging the threaded orifices and of less width than the channel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aliixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLINTON BROWN ALEXANDER.

Witnesses:

B. E. LEIPoLD, LENO WM. EDwARDs. 

